I Am Legend [Soundtrack]

James Newton Howard | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 15, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00114XRQI
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,056 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great soundtrack, January 16, 2008

By 

Amanda McCrina (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I Am Legend (Audio CD)

Like the movie itself, James Newton Howard's soundtrack isn't flashy or overblown. Instead it's simple, understated and poignant, with amazing use of strings (JNH's trademark) and a gentle piano interlude. The main theme, which appears in full form on the opening track "My Name is Robert Neville" and again (in full or partial form) on "Evacuation", "Scan Her Again", "Sam's Gone", "I'm Listening" and "Epilogue", is moving and unforgettable (I work at a cinema and after cleaning the "I Am Legend" theater I usually have the melody in my head for hours). The "action" tracks are few and far between -- of them, "Darkseeker Dogs" is probably my favorite -- and while that's not problematic, there are some genuinely slow stretches (mostly in the second half of the soundtrack) where the music is more suited for background listening than for holding your attention. Another minor downside is the length of the tracks: nine tracks are under three minutes long, so some of them seem more like vignettes than full tracks; but with 14 tracks in total, the album does clock in at about 45 minutes. All in all, it's a great soundtrack, and it fits the movie perfectly. Highly recommended, especially if you appreciated JNH's work on the "Batman Begins" soundtrack -- it's very similar in style.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legendary Score, February 10, 2008

By 

G. Hill "Comanche Todd" (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I Am Legend (OST) (Audio CD)

James Newton Howard once again confirms the fact that he is the most versatile and interesting composer working in hollywood today. Gone now are the modern greats such as Jerry Goldsmith and Elmer Bernstein and this void that was created by their sad departure was always going to be hard to fill. Howard has in the last few years has become a composer of choice turning out a series of good workmanlike scores and a clutch of exeptionally fine pieces of work. Among these "Wyatt Earp", "The Postman", "Unbreakable", "Signs", "The Village", Etc and now he has come up trumps again with "I am Legend".
This remake of "The Omega man" which in turn was a remake of "The last man on earth" took the age old idea of a solitary man left alone in a world apart from the threat of mutants and the like. This idea was also explored in "The Quiet Earth" and "The World,The Flesh & The Devil". While the film is well made and has a good turn by Will Smith it really did not make a big impact at the box office. The score within while evident in key scenes seemed muted and at times unnoticable, buried by sound effects, so it did not bode well as a future soundtrack album. I could'nt have been more wrong.
From the opening track "My name is Robert Neville" we are introduced to a melancholic but beautiful theme which permeates the score its almost waltz-like in its delivery. The sheer beauty of parts of this score is at times overwhelming especially in "Sam's gone", "Re-united" and "Epilogue" displaying an ethereal fusion of orchestra and choir in the familiar charismatic tone of the composer. The score also features some pounding percussion pieces in "Darkseeker dogs" and "The jagged edge". They seem a little out of place amongst the other more melodic tracks as if they belonged to another score but they are fine pieces nonetheless.
It amazes me how at times a composer can be so inspired, by at times so little and deliver an intense and wonderful musical experience. James Newton Howard is one of those who do just that and I highly recommend this score which brillantly shines and will stay with you far longer than its source film.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than the actual movie, January 16, 2008

By 

M. Prevette - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Am Legend (Audio CD)

The majority of James Netwon Howard's score wasn't used in the film or was dialed down so low, as to be invisible. Thanks to Varese Sarabande for rescuing this fine score. 44 minutes of nice dramatic, emotional scoring, the best Howard has done this year. Watch for nice choral work throughout the score. The action passages are few, The Jagged Edge being the biggest action cue, but like the movie, the score is subdued. Where the movie fell flat in the second half, the latter portions of the album play as an elegy of sorts. But it's NOT one of his more ambient scores, like Freedomland or Michael Clayton. There's some lovely music here. It's Howard's best score of the year, and overall one of the better scores of 07, although it won't be recognized as such I suspect. Highly recommended.